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Dear Friends,
This past week brought us both the Lunar New Year and start of Ramadan! A very Happy Lunar New Year and Year of the Fire Horse for all those celebrating. And Ramadan Mubarak to all those observing the holy month of Ramadan. I am looking forward to continuing to celebrate and observe these important holidays with our community.
We know this time is busy for many residents and it has been for us too! A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to present testimony in Annapolis in favor of HB 363, Income Tax - Local Child Tax Credit - Authorization. This bill authorizes a county to provide a tax credit against the county income tax for certain dependent children. Many thanks to Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr for introducing this bill.
As always, feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or need assistance.
Sincerely,
 Kate Stewart
Councilmember
(she, her)
The County Council recently passed Expedited Bill 35-25, Promoting Community Trust – Immigrant Protections Act, also known as the Trust Act. I joined the County Executive, Council President Natali Fani-González, and my colleagues for the bill signing last week. This legislation is essential, codifying protections for our immigrant communities and promoting trust in county services and resources. For more information on your protections and resources available, please visit the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center’s website.
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Yesterday, the County Council passed Executive Regulation 21-25, Emergency Safety Plan for Multifamily Apartment Buildings. In 2024, I led and the Council enacted Bill 7-24, Landlord-Tenant Relations - Tenant Protection and Notification. This law requires landlords to create and maintain emergency safety plans for multifamily rental buildings. As required by the law, landlords must provide an emergency safety plan and other building fire protection information in a lease. Executive Regulation 21-25 implements portions of Bill 7-24 and outlines the procedures for submittal, review and approval of emergency safety plans by landlords to the Department of Permitting Services (DPS).
Bill 7-24 and these following regulations were prompted by the fatal apartment fire that took the life of Melanie Diaz in Silver Spring three years ago, and other dangerous incidents that directly impacted tenants at multifamily rental buildings across Montgomery County. The measure aims to strengthen tenant protections by improving communication and emergency safety planning in multifamily rental properties.
Montgomery Planning staff are in the early stages of drafting the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan with community members to preserve the existing variety of housing and businesses in this area of our district and plan for the future. Next month, the preliminary recommendations based on community engagement over the past two years will be shared so residents have an opportunity to provide additional feedback to ensure the final recommendations align with residents’ vision for the area. Information explaining the planning process for this project can be found here.
If you have ideas for the future of communities across Long Branch, Clifton Park, Montgomery Knolls, New Hampshire Estates, Indian Spring, North Hills of Sligo, and beyond, please contact the project lead Lauren Stamm at lauren.stamm@montgomeryplanning.org to share your perspective.
A couple of weeks ago, we had the pleasure of hosting SEEC and the Jubilee Association of Maryland for a visit at the County Council. In addition to practicing how to testify, visitors learned how their Councilmembers can support them and the importance of raising issues that matter most to them. Thank you to Councilmember Shebra Evans for joining us as well!
Makom
Makom is a community-based clinical and behavioral health organization dedicated to providing integrated, person-centered care for individuals and families, with a special focus on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Makom’s behavioral health services include mental health screening, therapy, care coordination, and multidisciplinary clinical support designed to improve access, continuity of care, and overall wellbeing. Families and individuals can learn more about services, make referrals, or connect with Makom through its website and clinical services team to access compassionate, inclusive, and culturally responsive care.
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Office of Councilmember Kate Stewart
